2027 Associate Guidance Navigation Control Engineer

About the Role

Northrop Grumman is seeking motivated GNC (Guidance, Navigation, And Control) Engineers to solve complex problems that protect the nation. The GNC team designs, builds, and tests spacecraft subsystems for DoD, NASA, and commercial customers, focusing on innovative solutions for space-based autonomous rendezvous and docking and rapid design/production of small satellites.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, analyze, and tune spacecraft attitude and position control loops using time and frequency domain techniques.
• Design, analyze, and tune sequential filters (e.g., Kalman filters) for attitude determination and relative navigation.
• Design, develop, test, and verify flight algorithms for the GNC subsystem and support flight software qualification testing.
• Analyze and test spacecraft GNC subsystem performance using simulations and other analytic tools.
• Perform analysis to support early design phase concept development, including actuator sizing and placement, sensor selection and placement, attitude and position guidance, rendezvous, proximity operations and docking analyses, and predicted performance assessments.
• Develop simulation models for sensors (e.g., star tracker, rate gyro, accelerometer, GPS, magnetometer, sun sensors, visible and IR spectrum cameras, LIDAR), actuators (e.g., reaction wheel, torque bar, thruster, CMG), system dynamics (e.g., rigid body, multi-body, orbit mechanics, flexible models, propellant slosh), and the space environment (e.g., atmospheric, solar radiation pressure, third-body gravity, geopotential).
• Apply engineering principles, industry standards, company process, and knowledge of vehicle dynamics, aerodynamics, propulsion, classical/modern control, and estimation theory to perform tasks to advanced program/project goals.
• Document designs, analysis, and test results and create presentation materials.
• Present designs, analysis, and test results to internal and external customers.
• Work well within small- to medium-sized groups.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• MATLAB/Simulink
• C/C++
• Microsoft Office suite
• Version control tools such as SVN or Git
• Model Based Systems engineering
• Digital transformation tools such as the Atlassian suite

Qualifications

For Associate GNC Engineer

• Completing or has completed a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution.
• Majoring in or having majored in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a related field.

For GNC Engineer

• Completing or has completed a Master’s Degree from an accredited institution.
• Majoring in or having majored in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a related field.

Preferred Qualifications (Both Levels)

• Overall cumulative GPA of 3.4 out of 4.0 or higher.
• Experience in spacecraft GNC subsystem design, analysis, and testing.
• Experience implementing GNC algorithms on embedded systems.
• Prior work experience in a related field.
• Previous/current membership or leadership roles in professional groups, clubs, or extracurricular activities.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Other Information

• Travel: Yes, 10% of the Time.
• Relocation Assistance: May be available.
• Clearance Required: No.
• Clearance Type: None.
• U.S. Citizenship is required for positions requiring a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.